Conroe - Montgomery Edition - January 2020

ON THE up and up The Lake Conroe area continues growing, with Conroe and Montgomery populations rising about 43% and 55%, respectively, from 2014-18. CONROE POPULATION 2014: 61,268 2018: 87,656 MONTGOMERY POPULATION

SHOPPING LISTINGS DINING LISTINGS COMMUNITY INFO

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2014: 639 2018: 988

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Many developments are coming to the Lake Conroe area in 2020, including the Margaritaville Resort. (Andy Li/Community Impact Newspaper)

Local growth, development continues trajectory Mirroring local population growth, several developments are breaking ground and opening in the Conroe and Montgomery area in 2020, bring- ing with them new opportunities and challenges for the surrounding com- munities, government ocials said. Conroe saw about a 43% increase in population from 2014-18 while the city of Montgomery grew about 55%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And the Lake Conroe area’s population continues to burgeon, with a growth rate nearly double the Greater Hous- ton area's, according to a study by Community Development Strategies, a professional market and economic research consultant. “It’s been interesting to see that much growth in that short amount of time,” said Danielle Scheiner, the exec- utive director of the Conroe Economic Development Council. Alongside population growth, the area is experiencing a boom in development, particularly in manu- facturing and distribution. Develop- ment projects slated to be completed CONTINUED ON 18 BY ANDY LI

EDUCATION

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CITY & COUNTY

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Lake Conroe lowering up for February vote

Petitions created in support of ending the lake lowering 3 Signatures gathered against lake lowering 7,000

BY EVA VIGH

causes. But now, with the SJRA bringing the item back to vote Feb. 20, residents are demanding an end to the lowering, citing negative eects for lakefront homeowners and businesses. “Any time you deal with lower levels, you at some point begin to restrict boat level, access [and] docking issues, and all of those [have] eco- nomic impacts,” saidBrianBondy, the president of the Conroe Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce. The city of Conroe is also backing Lake Conroe homeowners, with Conroe City Council approv- ing a resolution Dec. 23 to ocially oppose the lake lowering. However, Mayor Toby Powell CONTINUED ON 22

A controversial ood-reduction strategy is up for vote in February, raising a debate over resi- dents’ livelihoods, the need for ood protection and the strategy’s eectiveness. Since 2018, the San Jacinto River Authority board of directors has authorized the seasonal lowering of Lake Conroe as a temporary ood-re- duction strategy designed to protect homes downstream along the West Fork San Jacinto River—ood-prone areas such as Kingwood and the River Plantation subdivision in Conroe. Lake Conroe residents said they have tried to be patient with the strategy despite the hardships it